Storm Rising

Chapter 7

Percy's POV

The weirdest part about my night was the no dreams. I never have no dreams, I mean never. Especially not at camp. My dreams have always been more vivid at camp. Shuddering, I rolled out of bed. It felt like the calm before a storm.

The next thing I noticed was I was still wearing the fancy clothes Aphrodite gave me, now shredded, ripped and torn from yesterday's events. As I groped for some shorts on the floor of my cabin, I realized just how dark it was in the cabin. Annabeth says I'm a lazy person so I never see the dark in the morning. I glance over to my clock. The blue letters read 6:00. Most days, I would have hopped back into bed and fallen asleep, but ever since Tatarus and the underworld yesterday, I have been even more claustrophobic if that's possible. I needed to get outside and breath the fresh air.

I pulled on some shorts and a t shirt. When I threw Aphrodite's khaki pants on the floor, something clunked on the floor. What it that? I pat my pockets for Riptide and Diarkis, but they are there. Perplexed, I walk over to the pant pockets, to find a greyish rock, small enough that I can wrap my hand around. Frowning slightly, I turn the stone in my hand. On a sudden urge, I slide my pointer and middle fingers across the rock's smooth surface. Instantly, the knifes or Flaytos Lady Styx gave me are in my hands. The hilts have black leather grips with little pieces of stone like the one I held in my hand seconds ago. I touch the two hilt ends together and they retract into the rock. Putting the rock in my pocket for later investigation, I head outside.

The morning is very pleasant. The slightly chilly air is probably keeping everyone in their cabins, since no one is outside yet. I look all around at the peaceful camp. Then I see Chiron's empty wheelchair on the Big House porch which reminds me, I haven't seen Chiron since last winter. Smiling to myself, I start to walk briskly towards the Big house.

As I'm nearing the Big House, Bianca steps onto the porch of the cabin for Hades.

"Good morning Percy," She calls to me.

"Hey Bianca," I reply back. As much as I want to talk to Chiron, I owe Bianca answers from yesterday. Bianca must be thinking the same thing as me because she steps of the porch and walks over to me.

"Do you think you could show me where Zeus's fist is in the forest? We're playing capture the flag soon and Nico tells me it's a main ronde vu point," Bianca says.

"Sure," I say, grateful for the privacy. We walk along the beach, a less obvious way to the forest, in a comfortable silence. It's not that I'm embarrassed to be with Bianca. Just Annabeth gets jealous very easily and I don't want any bad rumors going around or anything getting in between us.

We reach the edge of the forest and neither of us has said a word. Bianca turns to look at me, her expression so full of worry, concern, and curiosity all at the same time.

"Did you talk to Lady Styx?" She asks.

"H-how did you know?" I stammer.

"Seriously, Percy? Let's see: you were in the river Styx and you're invulnerable for the second time. I am a child of the underworld; I can sense the underworld spirits," Bianca says, a small smirk crossing her face.

"Oh, yeah. Well, I did talk to Lady Styx," I start. And it all comes pouring out. How Styx gave me the blessing again, the river choosing me, the scar, and the flaytos. When I get to the part of the scar, Bianca gasps and reaches over to pull up the sleeve off of my bicep.

"So it's true," She says, stunned. "I saw Luke had one and Achilles, too. It's not your vulnerable point, though. That would be stupid."

I nod and continue my story. I pull out the rock as I begin to talk about the Flaytos. Bianca holds out her hand, asking to see them. I activate it, and she grips them in a strategically grip. She does a few experimentally swings with them, then nods. She deactivates them with a flick of her wrist and gives the rock back to me.